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Weight Loss 5yrs old and loosing weight

jasbrent

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I have a 5yr old girl who is very skinny. I believe she is getting old as she is not getting any less food than since I got them 2 yrs ago. What can I do to boost her weight? I have been giving her a few cookies and extra veggies. What else can I do?

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sherri86

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get her to a vet PRONTO!!!

My first pig I adopted was around 4 years maybe older. He started looking thinner and I just thought it was old age. He was eating fine although his poops were more damp then usual and there seemed to be more of it when It came time to clean the cage each night.

He passed away in my arms on the way to the emergency vet.... I wish I would have known better at the time.. miss him greatly ..a

ny weight loss 4 oz or more is cause for concern.

please take her to the vet and let us know how she is doing
 

jasbrent

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Thank you

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jasbrent

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So I thought weight loss was a sign of old age? Am I wrong?

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bpatters

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@jasbrent, you're not wrong, and there's no need for an emergency vet visit.

How much weight has she lost?

Is still losing? If so, how much per day?

Are her poops normal?

Do you notice her drooling, or dropping her food? Those could indicate tooth issues.

A vet visit to have her checked over isn't a bad idea. Older pigs do lose weight, and it's very hard to get a senior pig to gain weight. Don't give her cookies, if you're talking about treats purchased at a pet store. If she doesn't have any calcium problems in her urinary tract, you could give her a glob of Critical Care every day. She'll probably eat it off the plate. That's got good quality nutrition in it, and while it's too high in calcium to be a complete food replacement for a long period of time, it's fine to give a tablespoon or so as a supplement.

But your goal should be stopping any continuing loss, rather than trying to force her to gain weight. Older pigs seem to lose a little, stabilize for a while, lose a little more, stabilize again, lose some more, etc.

Another thing you might try is supplementing with 30-40 mg. of vitamin C for a couple of weeks and see if her appetite picks up, and if she's gaining. Older pigs just don't absorb vitamins and minerals as well as younger ones, and a supplement can often help.
 

jasbrent

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Thank you. I will do all that. I will take her to the vets for sure. 😊

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sherri86

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I am sorry I scared you, but now I am confused.. I have always read that any weight loss 4 0z or more is cause for concern, nothing was ever mentioned about age.. can you direct me to a link where the info is in on older pigs please

Thanks
again sorry if I upset you, I hope your sweet girl is ok
 

jasbrent

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I am sorry I scared you, but now I am confused.. I have always read that any weight loss 4 0z or more is cause for concern, nothing was ever mentioned about age.. can you direct me to a link where the info is in on older pigs please

Thanks
again sorry if I upset you, I hope your sweet girl is ok
No worries.

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bpatters

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@sherri86, the OP didn't say how much weight the pig had lost, or over what period of time. We needed more information before decided that an emergency vet visit was needed. A slow loss over a few months suggests a very different problem than a quick loss over a few days. And age is also an important factor.
 
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